The Record: Boehner's deal

The Record

IN A stunning turn of events, Republican House Speaker John Boehner showed this week that he is no longer willing to gamble when it comes to the nation's long-standing debt commitments. Boehner followed through on a promise to bring a "clean" extension of the debt ceiling bill — i.e., an extension of the federal government's ability to borrow — up for a vote, and he did so.

John Boehner

Over objections and threats from conservative groups, the bill passed, 221-201, with 28 Republicans voting in the majority. This means the United States will not default on its debts and that the debt ceiling will be raised for another 13 months.

"The full faith and credit [of the United States] should be unquestioned, and it is not negotiable," said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

The fact that Congress has spent so much time on this issue since the House came back under Republican control and President Obama has been in the White House defies common sense. Unlike a majority of the Republican caucus, however, Boehner has come to join the ranks of the sensible, and to recognize that Congress is not a sandbox to play any games that come to mind, but a place where adults must make adult decisions.

What some people have described as capitulation on Boehner's part reads more as a show of taking responsibility for actions. Raising the debt limit is not really an option — more a matter of fact, a necessary part of governing. Raising the debt limit enables the government to pay its bills and fulfill its existing financial commitments, such as Social Security benefits, interest payments on accumulated debt and government salaries.

Now, if our elected leaders want to truly and less cynically tackle the nation's very real debt problem, they should do so through debate and compromise, not with these cliffhanger showdowns that have so wearied the American people. Lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle, as well as economists liberal and conservative, recognize that a government's defaulting on its financial commitment could lead to turmoil in the entire economy.

That's not to say America's debt woes don't merit attention. The nation's soaring debt, which has steadily increased since Obama has been president, remains a concern. But real debt reform requires give and take from Democrats and Republicans, and the cutting can be made without shredding the nation's social safety net.

Earlier this week, some House Republicans considered rolling back part of a rare budget deal last year toward getting broader support on the debt ceiling increase. That plan, backed by Boehner and by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., would have reversed about $7 billion in modest cuts to military pensions, a part of the budget deal that's been unpopular with veterans groups.

That brief skirmish highlights part of the problem in Washington: that even modest cuts to programs are loaded with political freight. Both Democrats and Republicans are culpable when it comes to overspending and driving up the national debt, and they have to join together now to find a real and reasonable solution. For now, though, we breathe a sigh of relief for another 13 months.

The Record: Boehner's deal

IN A stunning turn of events, Republican House Speaker John Boehner showed this week that he is no longer willing to gamble when it comes to the nation's long-standing debt commitments. Boehner followed through on a promise to bring a "clean" extension of the debt ceiling bill — i.e., an extension of the federal government's ability to borrow — up for a vote, and he did so.

Over objections and threats from conservative groups, the bill passed, 221-201, with 28 Republicans voting in the majority. This means the United States will not default on its debts and that the debt ceiling will be raised for another 13 months.

"The full faith and credit [of the United States] should be unquestioned, and it is not negotiable," said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

The fact that Congress has spent so much time on this issue since the House came back under Republican control and President Obama has been in the White House defies common sense. Unlike a majority of the Republican caucus, however, Boehner has come to join the ranks of the sensible, and to recognize that Congress is not a sandbox to play any games that come to mind, but a place where adults must make adult decisions.

What some people have described as capitulation on Boehner's part reads more as a show of taking responsibility for actions. Raising the debt limit is not really an option — more a matter of fact, a necessary part of governing. Raising the debt limit enables the government to pay its bills and fulfill its existing financial commitments, such as Social Security benefits, interest payments on accumulated debt and government salaries.

Now, if our elected leaders want to truly and less cynically tackle the nation's very real debt problem, they should do so through debate and compromise, not with these cliffhanger showdowns that have so wearied the American people. Lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle, as well as economists liberal and conservative, recognize that a government's defaulting on its financial commitment could lead to turmoil in the entire economy.

That's not to say America's debt woes don't merit attention. The nation's soaring debt, which has steadily increased since Obama has been president, remains a concern. But real debt reform requires give and take from Democrats and Republicans, and the cutting can be made without shredding the nation's social safety net.

Earlier this week, some House Republicans considered rolling back part of a rare budget deal last year toward getting broader support on the debt ceiling increase. That plan, backed by Boehner and by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., would have reversed about $7 billion in modest cuts to military pensions, a part of the budget deal that's been unpopular with veterans groups.

That brief skirmish highlights part of the problem in Washington: that even modest cuts to programs are loaded with political freight. Both Democrats and Republicans are culpable when it comes to overspending and driving up the national debt, and they have to join together now to find a real and reasonable solution. For now, though, we breathe a sigh of relief for another 13 months.